The Osceola times., 1887-10-29
SETH'S "FIGGERIN'."
After Many Years He Makes Ont
q Balance Ahead.

z rim, rs he pronounced il, 4 form OF
expression common Ia most bu,ines.
men, and some women. not Bos.
toni1n in elegance, but very popular
with "lhc masses"
He did some iiggerin' when he made
up his mind to marry sweet, pretty
Neelie NARROW, who taught in the pri-
mary department Of the public school.
and had known him since She was a
wee toddler and ne was a gawky,
freeSlc-iace schoolboy.
1--WE been ficgerin',n he said 10 his
hndiady, rs ne sat one night with pcn-
Gil and paper before him. She had
looked in to collect his board bill. A
week 1eiore it WAS due, to protect her.
sci.
I've iiggcr'd it out that it'4 rs
cheap for Two to live rs one. mean
That il won't cost me amy more to get
married and take care Of a wife than It
docs TO live single. You see. I've iig-
gercd itail ont. The same fire will do
ior both, and | won't have TO pay out
for mcnding, and there's lot of ways
aNounE man spends money with his
friends that he can save if he has some
one to look after him. I've got it all down
here and added up. aud there is bal
anee in favor Of my plan ON the credit
side
"tlc' iiggern' on the rule that what
amt enough for one, is plenty and to
spare for two thought his landlady;
"twont work, but It's none Of my af-
faIs' .
seth Dakin married the little school
mistress, and for brief year they
boarded with his former landlady in
such a pinchod and suhdued style that
ilry were comfortably wrctched most
ot The time, and had it not been for the
genuine love that existed between
them, could never have survived their
domestic hardship. At the end Of
the year Seth did some more fig
germ"
Ihi, time he figured himself into
house and lot, on some mstallment
plan, aud it looked 50 feasible that
NeeIje ciapped her hands with enthu-
S"'m-yery thin white hands, they
were too.
Are you sure il can be donc?' she
asked, anNiously, ~ she rcckoned mp
Welong column Of items. "Can We
ever pay for thpm"
'E1>icst thing in the world, dear"
Seth answered, gently lie was very
ioudot Bis Ncelie If she had no cloak
hi TO wear, ncithcr did be have any
o'crcolt but Yent ont on the coolest
gay miioned UP and trim.
:, You've forgotten your oyercoat
Mr. Dahiu,' said polite friend to him
one Day; aren't You cold?'
"N-u-u-eycr w-wear o-o-oncn ~ stam-
me'od tho poor fellow, shiyer.ng like
hungry dog over bcne. 81
'-s-should d-dospise to r-r-ol up l-l-iko
an o-o-id v-woman!"
lon see he was only a clerk on a
n'ssariy stipend in a time and place
NAT demanded luxuries; carpets in
S'ad Of bare floors; meat and pie in
stead Of brown loaves or cabbage and
oean'' he could as well have turned
eannIbal as to have tried TO do without
me Kind of food they had been reared
upon
'flggers don't lie." he said. cheer
"ay "Ncclic, wen have y home
Inc house was built for them aud
m'y moved in. For another year they
nnched and saved, and pared down to
Tue bone Then Seth began to zig
GER again.
inns time il was the baby.
lie was as cheerful md light-heartcd
NOT the laby but Seth--as if the debt
vi The house was not staring them in
ace lie whistled and sung and one
Hgh' he sat down by Neelie and show
debit
Ive been liggerin'." he said, gayly.
ana mat little shaver over there isn't
s|ng To cost MS cent. I've put every
"'"gdo"n that he can possibly need for
war and it only adds up fifty dollars.
""{ can make that by writing up
'OUAS IN the evening this winter
Neelle smiled, but II was sad, wan
,e''e .,e She began to see how Seth's
usgcrIn' " came out-always deficit
%SWad OF n balance. but she hadn't
"% y, neart to discourage him.
.ne laby grew and thrived. His
aier Io'ner was his nurse. She was also
,"'e' cook and seamstress, as we'll as
",re'S 'rS and housekeeper
I've been tiggcrin, began Seth
~ s'ening, "that the baby is the best
,r,'n ,Suonlst in the family. He keeps rs
w gong anywhere, SO we can't
"' any money for outside pleasures
we Try. Aud we're ever 50 much
masn ''' W. "'''" MUM
h. ~ mule mamma looked very tired,
sss. sa' assc..te,, with he, whole heart
.AAi Seth said. Here was her
These two were Asy treasures